The years from 1989 to 1994 were socially and theatrically inactive for the most part. I had lost Drew, my long time companion of 21 years, to AIDS in '89 and our home was destroyed in a flood eight months later in May of '90. I came home to New York, more specifically to my mother's home in Oxford, NY. I relate more details of this period within my personal bio at www.mickeyzhere.com if you'd care to know more, but suffice it to say, there was no business like show business for me, for a while anyway.
I started to get involved with theater again by volunteering with the Mental Health Association's Mental Health Players, an improvisational group, as well as with the Roberson Museum and their production of The Nutcracker in 1993. (I stage managed their ballet production that year and played Drosselmeyer the following year.)
In 1995, the BC Pops, led by David Agard, held auditions for the musical My Fair Lady. I won the role of Doolittle. The shows were large-scale, full orchestral musicals that were performed at the Forum Theater in Binghamton, NY. In the two succeeding years, I was in Camelot and Sound of Music. I played two characters in the chorus of Sound of Music and King Pelinore in Camelot and photos can be found on the 70s page along with the first time I'd performed the show as Mordred, 23 years earlier.
1995
David Agard's BC Pops and The Forum Theatre production of
Alfred Doolittle
1996
This was an original play written by friend, Mark Danau, and directed by Ernie Schenk, with whom, along with his talented wife, Sherry Pagan, I'd be associated in other productions nearly 10 years later.
Roberson Museum - Binghamton, NY
Professor Lodovicho, Puppet#1, Dr. Brain on Fire, The Doge, Survivor 1 and 5
1997
Camelot
Forum Theatre - Binghamton, NY
King Pelinore
Our amazing dog "Trouble", who managed to plop down and sit almost everywhere on stage and of course, stole the scenes!
My sister, Gina, and my brother-in-law, Mike visit backstage!
1997
SRO Theatre's
production of
In this wonderful Sondheim musical, I played Larry, and the role of my wife, Joanne, was played by the very talented and local, Binghamton, jazz singer, Judy Giblin, whose belting rendition of "Ladies Who Lunch" wowed the audience every night! Sorry to say, I have no photos of this production.
1998
Variety Shows
&
Theatricks By Starlight
HOW IT STARTED
Through the improvisational group of the ,
a
program at the Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier, I met a
wonderful women named Pat Donohue. Patricia is a local performer who has a
wonderful history appearing on the operatic and dramatic stage. She called me
to tell me about a gentleman and his wife who were doing a variety show in Deposit, and would I be
interested in working up a skit or duet with her for the revue. We performed
both a skit and a duet, and in the old-fashioned song we sang, I used an Irish
accent.
Patricia Donohue
Patricia, "The Grand Dame", and I still do occasional stints together. She was recognized by the City of Binghamton with a star in Binghamton's "Walk of Fame", a place downtown dedicated to local people from the Greater Binghamton area who have shown excellence in their area of performance.
Through a long time friend, and lady of the stage, Patricia Donohue, I met a gentleman, Bill Taylor, who annually performed musical revues in Deposit, NY, along with his wife and soul mate, Beverly. I sang an Irish number and he referred me to Rick Mertens who was directing a one act play for the local group in Deposit know as Theatricks by Starlight. They needed someone who could do an Irish accent.
Bill Taylor and his wife Beverly had been doing their revue, "Taylor 'n' Taylor" for some time. Bill, a very talented actor, singer, and musician enjoyed our duet and was evidently impressed enough with my Irish accent to pass the word on to another, now long time friend and fellow actor, Rick Mertens. He was directing a one-act play called, Spreading the News which needed an actor who could do an Iris dialect. And that my friends, is now history.
Rick Mertens
Over the years, I performed in two musical/comedy revues produced by Bill & Beverly Taylor. Our wonderful Beverly was lost to us, and after a couple of seasons, I performed two more times when Bill brought back the revues with his son Barry and Barry's sons, Adam and Ryan.
Bill and Beverly Taylor
1998
Theatricks By Starlight - Deposit, NY
Jack Smith - The Red-haired Man
This was my first appearance with the Theatricks By Starlight company. I appeared in nine other productions since then and directed three shows for them.
1998
I'd come across an audition announcement and tried out for the musical, "Pajama Game", and played the role of Myron J. Hasler.
SRO Theatre's
production of
Once again, I'm sorry to say, like too many other shows, I have no photos of this production either.
1999
My second appearance at Theatricks By Starlight - Deposit, NY
And that's the end of the 90s. Oh yes, there are loads more pictures and you're welcome to peruse at your leisure!
Thank you for your kind letters and suggestions!
If you wish to write me...
Just click on my photo!
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For all other inquiries, fill the Subject line accordingly: photos, resumes, performance schedules, want ads, educational courses, etc.!
This website is a non-profit, community project. It is completely owned and created by my efforts, and is under no obligation to any theater group, foundation or advertisers. I pay my own fees to create, host and maintain this website. If you feel you would like to donate any funds to further this project, all such gifts will be gratefully appreciated.
Please help and send
your support. Until recently, I received not one dollar towards the upkeep of
this site, and I would very much appreciate your help.
I have created a page to show any and all donations sent to Stagewhispers.
You can verify your donation by going to www.stagewhispers.net/contributions.asp
Send any donations via check or money order to
Mickey Ray
136 Front Street
1st Fl.
Binghamton, NY 13905-3102
In your notation line, put "Stagewhispers donation."
Thanks!
(To see the list of contributors, click logo below!)
From
TEDDY BEARS
Just Like You!!
animated
graphic created by Mickey Ray
Would you like to add your show dates to Curtains Up?
Submit your advertisement INFORMATION (flyer or poster) containing the name of your Theater Group, the name of the show and your director.
Include the Date: Time, Location, & Ticket Prices no later than two weeks before your opening night. (I will copy/paste your info, so if it's in error it will be yours, not mine.)
You are also welcomed to merely send a basic announcement and I'll put that up along with a LINK to your website for further details.
This is a FREE service and is done when I have the time to do it, so I cannot make guarantees as to having your announcements up in time. Accuracy of show dates and times will be copy/pasted, so it is up to you to get them right!
All professional and non-professional theater groups on my Playgroups’ list are welcomed to advertise. http://www.stagewhispers.net/playgroups.asp If you are NOT on that page and would like to be, and if your group lies within 2 1/2 hours of Binghamton by car, write to me and send me your info!
Shows that share the same dates will be listed alphabetically by Theater Group, excepting the word “the”.
“The Brighton Players”, for example, would go before “Salisbury Community Theater”.
EXCEPTION
If shows share ‘split’ dates, the show that goes up first, will be listed ahead of the other.
Theatre Companies ~ Tell Your Actors About This Site!
Check out the updated Actors' Page at my site!
Photos have frames and embedded names. Each leads to your own personal page with just a click. (Try it!) You send me your bios and I'll add them to your page!! It's all free, so what are you waiting for??
If you're photo isn't there yet, ....send it to me along with your bio! If your photo is there, but no bio.... guess why?? You haven't sent it yet!
Come on! It's a great way to show others your bio and photo merely by sending them your personal URL.
Want to see mine? www.stagewhispers.net/mickey-ray.asp
Need help? Go to RESUME and use the templates there!
Hope to hear from you soon!! Send all photos and your bios to me at stagewhispers@stny.rr.com
I reserve the right to edit all submissions for format, brevity, etc. Please... No PDF or Word Perfect files!!
Cheers,
Mickey Ray
Click on the Headers Below!
to go to
At this page, actors may submit their headshots and bios for others to see
simply by emailing them to me.
YOU can help make this a must place for Theater Groups, Directors and Agents to
check out and find you! This is entirely at no cost to you!
Here's where I'll put up notices of any auditions that I get word of via professional or community theater companies or from you, my visitor!
Theatre groups may submit information about their upcoming performances ~ at least two weeks before opening night ~ and have it placed on this page! See details there!
A listing of professional and community theaters listed with their personal logos! Does your company have a web site? You'll want to be on this page! Need a logo for your group? Contact me.
Who is Mickey Ray?
This is my personal resume page with links to the photo galleries of productions
I've appeared in. Please feel free to browse. I also have a
resume template page which
you can copy/paste into a Word document and fill out the tables accordingly,
then send your document on to me.
A listing of professional and community theatres educational programs teaching or training in acting, writing, singing, and technical courses. Free courses will always be listed first, when available.
This page may be used to announce performance fundraisers for various theatrical and charitable events.
Here's your chance to talk about what's going on in your neck of the woods, send general announcements about your company (new address, relocating, board elections, special theatrical events such as awards, picnics) or link to your website's seasonal announcements etc...
This is a page you can seek out theatrical props, costumes, & stage equipment
Remember When and
Computergraphics will no longer be accessible
starting July, 2008.
SOMETHING JUST FOR FUN
Take a walk down memory lane, or drive down in your '57 Ford Fairlane...
What do you remember about the 50s???
Now includes a link to hear Abbot and Costello's hilarious "Who's On First"
routine!
My artwork made into transparent computer graphics, now free to use for your
emails, web pages, greeting cards etc. NOT for resale!
All artwork, graphics and logos on this and other pages throughout, are my own
and are copyrighted, with the exception of Theatrical and Business logos used as
links to various enterprises.
More Theatrical Information may be found at...
Lars Blizard
798-0973
Tell him, Mickey sent you!
©
Here is a list of all the pages at StagewhisperS©.
If you can use any of these pages, be sure to send your information to me with as much detail as you can at least 2 weeks before the premier performance date!
Each actor at the "Actors" page has his or her own personal page as well! And
let's not forget all the various "Details" pages that lend greater information
about your projects!
Where to go at
StagewhisperS©
http://www.stagewhispers.net/
Homepage
http://www.stagewhispers.net/actors.asp
Photo gallery of Actors with links to their
individual pages providing head shots and bios for agents, directors and theater
companies.
http://www.stagewhispers.net/auditions.asp
The shows, dates, times and locations of auditions
sent to me by the theatre companies within a 2 1/2 hour radius of Binghamton,
NY.
http://www.stagewhispers.net/computergraphics.asp
My artwork made into transparent computer graphics,
now free to use for your emails, web pages, greeting cards etc. NOT for resale!
http://www.stagewhispers.net/contributions.asp
A record of donations from theatre companies,
organizations and individuals.
http://www.stagewhispers.net/curtainsup.asp
Upcoming shows, dates, ticket prices, synopsis etc.
http://www.stagewhispers.net/education.asp
Theatre courses in acting, dance, comedy etc.
offered by various individuals and companies.
http://www.stagewhispers.net/fundraisers.asp
This page may be used to announce performance
fundraisers for various theatrical and charitable events.
http://www.stagewhispers.net/mickey-ray.asp
My personal
theatrical resume plus sub links to photos of shows I performed from 1970 ~200-
http://www.stagewhispers.net/pg70s.asp
http://www.stagewhispers.net/pg80s.asp
http://www.stagewhispers.net/pg90s.asp
http://www.stagewhispers.net/pg2000.asp
http://www.stagewhispers.net/playgroups.asp
Links to all the theatre companies at
StagewhisperS©
who have websites.
http://www.stagewhispers.net/puppetry.asp
My venture into another theatrical art form!
http://www.stagewhispers.net/remember.asp
An entertaining look at the 50's.
http://www.stagewhispers.net/resume.asp
StagewhisperS©
provides a template to help create your resume!
http://www.stagewhispers.net/tellme.asp
What's going on in your neck of the woods? Send
general announcements about your theatrical company (new address, relocating,
board elections, special theatrical events such as awards, charity drives,
dinners or picnics, or request a link to your website's seasonal announcements
etc...)
http://www.stagewhispers.net/wantads.asp
Need something? Offering something? Swap, donate or
sell theatrical supplies, costumes, props etc.
